WASHINGTON, DC – In a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee markup today, Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) voted in favor of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2010, a bill that will safeguard America’s human flight capabilities and help reinforce NASA’s mission.

President Obama announced earlier this year his intent to cancel the Constellation program, which is NASA’s plan to continue human space flight after the Space Shuttle is retired next year. Without the NASA reauthorization bill, the president’s proposal would have serious implications for the Stennis Space Center and the economic well-being of South Mississippi. Stennis’s workforce is more than 5,000 with nearly half of that comprised of NASA employees and contractors.

“The president’s proposal to cancel Constellation would destabilize the future of human space flight, and risk Mississippi’s continued leadership in our nation’s space program,” said Wicker, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “This bipartisan bill sends a strong signal to the administration that Congress wants to ensure NASA has a defined mission that allows our space related workforce to continue developing the next generation of manned missions in a timely manner.”

The bill reported out by the committee today includes amendments championed by Wicker to continue construction of Mississippi’s newest engine test stand and to recognize the importance of the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County.

“Mississippi’s skilled workforce has played a central role in America’s ambitious efforts to reach beyond Earth’s atmosphere,” added Wicker. “The NASA reauthorization bill will ensure the U.S. maintains its lead in space exploration by setting targeted deadlines for design and activation of our next human space flight vehicles, including those that will be powered by propulsion systems tested at the Stennis Space Center.”

The NASA Reauthorization Act of 2010 passed unanimously by the committee today, and will be placed on the Senate calendar for final passage.

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